With people across the US increasingly self-isolating and staying inside, they’re finding innovative ways to socialize. Netflix Party is a Chrome browser extension that creates a sense of community and lets people watch their favourite movies and shows together even when they’re miles apart.

Children are turning to Messenger Kids to speak to their friends while schools remain closed due to COVID-19. Keeping connected will be important for children in the months to come, but parents will likely expect social media services to address their concerns about online privacy and safety.

Though Gen Z is the most connected cohort, there’s increasing concern that online connections don’t satisfy a deep-seated need for human contact. Video messaging app Squad aims to fill the gap with shared-screen chatting. Could this ease loneliness and isolation in our digital universe?

The Coronavirus Diaries is a series of dispatches from Slate highlighting first-hand experiences of how life is changing as a result of the outbreak. In a media climate of fake news and pandemic scaremongering, real experiences are a source of truth that most people can, on some level, relate to.